Xu Qingzhu stood there, her eyes filled with helplessness. "Are you serious?"
Liang Shi: "..."
“Teacher Xu has always been very understanding.” Liang Shi was now reassured. “I’ll handle these small matters in the kitchen. Teacher Xu will take charge of the overall management.”
Xu Qingzhu glanced at her, her eyes narrowing slightly, then suddenly leaned closer and repeated her words, "I'm understanding?"
Liang Shi nodded, looking rather obedient.
Xu Qingzhu suddenly reached out and pinched Liang Shi's neck, causing Liang Shi to gasp in pain. She looked at Xu Qingzhu with a reproachful expression, wondering what she was going to do.
As a result, Xu Qingzhu's hand moved down, her cool fingertips brushing against Liang Shi's collar. The collar of the sweatshirt, which was originally quite high, was pulled down, and Xu Qingzhu's fingers landed on Liang Shi's collarbone.
Press gently.
The sudden change in Liang Shi's expression caught him off guard. He felt a burning sensation in his body and couldn't help but move closer to Xu Qingzhu, even wanting to lean forward and hug her.
Liang Shi's throat moved slightly as he swallowed.
Xu Qingzhu's cool voice rang in her ear, and she scoffed lightly, not very pleased: "Not necessarily understanding people's feelings, but you do have a talent for understanding people's clothes."
As she spoke, she leaned forward and bit Liang Shi's collarbone, while her other free hand rested on the back of Liang Shi's neck, her palm gathering her long hair.
Liang Shi's hand landed on her waist, and he instinctively tightened his grip.
But Xu Qingzhu quickly withdrew, and the bite she took seemed like an act of venting her anger.
Liang Shi had no idea what he had done to offend her.
However, he never had a chance to know that Xu Qingzhu had already left the kitchen gracefully, leaving behind a somewhat bewildered Liang Shi and a faint tooth mark on her collarbone.
Liang Shi: "..."
Only after Xu Qingzhu left did she belatedly realize the meaning of the phrase—"skilled at understanding other people's clothes."
She felt that Xu Qingzhu was mocking what happened that morning.
It's just that I can't use both my hands and feet to perfectly pull her pants down, right?
...
Seriously.
They even have to compare this!
//
Xu Qingzhu wasn't much better than Liang Shi at comforting people.
Especially when facing Liang Wanwan, whom he barely knew.
To her, Liang Wanwan was a complete stranger.
She and Liang Wanwan had only met twice: once when she married Liang Shi, and once when she went back to the old house with Liang Shi.
Her impression of Liang Wanwan could be summed up in two words: quiet.
She seemed to be the complete opposite of Liang Shi back then; one was a womanizer who played the field, while the other was a quiet, obedient girl who had nothing to do with such things.
So they all said at the time that Qiu Zimin was good at educating children.
Moreover, Qiu Zimin knows very accurately what all the moral standards are like.
All the leniency shown towards Liang Shi was based on a moral standard.
They simply wanted to ruin Liang Shi.
Xu Qingzhu is usually a quiet person, but now that Liang Shi has pushed her to handle these matters, she has no choice but to bite the bullet and do it, even though she has no method.
In front of Liang Wanwan, she could barely be considered an elder, so she began with pleasantries, "Are you alright?"
Liang Wanwan nodded first, then slowly shook her head, calling out aggrievedly, "Sister Qingzhu."
Liang Wanwan has a pure and innocent look. Without makeup, her fair face is full of collagen, and her eyes are red and swollen, making her look like a pitiful little white rabbit. Xu Qingzhu hurriedly handed her a tissue and whispered to comfort her, "Don't cry, your eyes are all red from crying."
Xu Qingzhu's only experience in offering comfort was with five-year-old Lingdang.
In her family, Xu Qingya has a cheerful and carefree personality. Since childhood, she has been abducted and has stayed at home without going to school. The education she received from childhood was to give way to her older sister and protect her.
She wanted to be a good older sister, but she didn't have many opportunities.
Xu Qingya is so strong that it makes her seem weak in comparison.
Besides, someone with Xu Qingya's personality doesn't need comforting at all. Just hand her tools when she wants to fight.
So when Xu Qingzhu comforted Liang Wanwan, it sounded a bit like coaxing a child, and her voice unconsciously became childish.
Liang Wanwan was also immersed in her own world of sadness and did not notice.
But Liang Shi, who was cooking ginger and brown sugar water in the kitchen, heard this, rubbed his ears inexplicably, and smiled.
Liang Shi took the hair tie from Xu Qingzhu's wrist and tied her hair up. The rising steam filled the kitchen, and the small space was filled with the sweet smell of sugar.
Liang Shi thought that it didn't smell as good as Xu Qingzhu's scent.
Xu Qingzhu sat in the living room, quite pleased with herself.
She didn't feel that she had to do something just because Liang Wanwan was crying.
On the contrary, when Liang Wanwan cried, she handed her tissues and kicked the living room trash can next to Liang Wanwan's legs.
Liang Wanwan is usually quiet, even when she cries.
It didn't make Xu Qingzhu feel troubled or mentally exhausted.
When Liang Wanwan had cried herself out, she threw a large wad of paper into the trash can, let out a soft sigh, and said to Xu Qingzhu with remorse, "I'm sorry, Sister Qingzhu."
"It's nothing," Xu Qingzhu said. "Your sister went to make ginger tea. If you don't want to talk to me, just wait until she comes over later."
It's like passing the buck; they've passed the matter on to Liang Shi again.
Liang Wanwan replied, "No, it's not that I don't want to tell you."
Xu Qingzhu: "Hmm?"
"I...I just don't know how to say it." Liang Wanwan sniffed, wanting to cry but holding it back, and apologized again: "I'm sorry for causing you trouble."
"It's no big deal." Xu Qingzhu's tone was a bit like Sally's when she first learned Mandarin, and her relaxed tone was meant to make Liang Wanwan not mind.
After a pause, Xu Qingzhu added, "This is your sister's home. You can come here if you've been wronged. Isn't your sister just someone to be used?"
Liang Wanwan looked at her, her eyes glistening with tears.
Xu Qingzhu felt quite pressured by that look in her eyes and avoided it.
Liang Wanwan thought for a moment before saying, "Sister Qingzhu, I'm a little scared."
"What are you afraid of?" Xu Qingzhu asked.
Liang Wanwan let out a heavy sigh of relief. Just as she was about to speak, Liang Shi came out of the kitchen and placed a cup of ginger tea in front of her. The cup also had a purple straw inserted into it, which was quite thoughtful.
Xu Qingzhu glanced at Liang Shi, who quickly brought her another cup and placed it in front of her.
Liang Shi said, "Drink the ginger and brown sugar water first to warm yourself up."
Liang Wanwan thanked her softly, "Thank you, sister."
Liang Shi went to the kitchen to put the tray down, and after hearing her thanks, he said it was nothing.
After Liang Shi returned to the living room, Liang Wanwan began to recount what had happened that evening. Even after she finished speaking, she was still trembling with anger, "Why did she touch my clothes?! None of the servants touched them."
"Where did you put Chen Mian's album?" Liang Shi asked. "Is there any way to restore it?"
Liang Wanwan shook her head, "They're all soaked and ruined."
Water seeped into the sealed packaging, soaking it completely. After being wrung out in the washing machine, it was almost completely reduced to shreds and was no longer presentable.
However, Liang Wanwan still kept it; she put it in her wallet.
Now, when it is gently laid flat and unfolded, its original shape is completely unrecognizable.
Seeing Liang Wanwan handling the sketchbook on the note with such care, Liang Shi and Xu Qingzhu exchanged a glance, both seeing helplessness in each other's eyes.
This is something that cannot be repaired.
However, seeing how heartbroken Liang Wanwan was, Liang Shi tentatively suggested, "How about I contact Chen Mian again and have her paint one for you?"
He thought Liang Wanwan would readily agree, but she shook her head and said, "No, thank you."
She refused so quickly that Liang Shi thought he had misheard.
Unable to resist confirming, "What?"
"No need," Liang Wanwan said. "There's no point in asking for more."
This picture album accompanied her through her youth and also helped her through the difficult days of preparing for the art college entrance exam.
There are many more sleepless nights spent missing Chen Mian.
Now that this picture book is gone, it also means that her youth has come to an end.
This unrequited love should come to an end.
The original intention was to end this silent unrequited love, which is why Liang Shi asked Chen Mian to help.
The result was a longer-lasting connection and a deeper bond.
Liang Wanwan lowered her eyes and said in a sorrowful voice, "Thank you, sister."
She gazed at the tattered picture book, took a deep breath, and said to Liang Shi, "Sister, I'm sorry to bother you tonight. I'll stay here for one day, and I'll go back to school tomorrow. You don't need to worry about me."
"Then what are you afraid of?" Xu Qingzhu suddenly asked her, "You haven't told me what happened just now."
Upon hearing this question, Liang Wanwan stiffened and whispered, "Never mind."
"How can we just let it go?" Liang Shi frowned. "You hit Liang Xinran, so why didn't you answer the phone?"
"Yes." Liang Wanwan pursed her lips and looked up at Liang Shi: "I have two numbers, one of which is switched off."
The other number was a SIM card issued by the school that connected to the dormitory's internet, which Qiu Zimin was unaware of.
Fear and timidity were still evident in Liang Wanwan's eyes.
When Liang Shi looked at her, he suddenly understood a phrase—both cowardly and tough.
Liang Wanwan, who seemed the most inconspicuous, was the first person in the family to hit Liang Xinran.
Although afraid of Qiu Zimin, he still pretended to comply but secretly created two accounts.